Current Prices for Scrap Pure Copper Radiators in New Jersey
Current national prices for Pure Copper Radiators are averaging around $2.62 per pound. Check the listings below to find the best-paying scrap yards in New Jersey for your clean, prepared copper cooling units.
Average Pure Copper Radiators Price
- Low (up to $3.00): Floor price, typically for small loads.
- Mid ($3.00): A fair deal for standard quantities.
- High ($3.00+): Top-dollar rate. Offered for large commercial loads or by the most competitive buyers.
Pricing verified from 2 live board rates today.
Where to Sell Pure Copper Radiators in New Jersey
Don't just hand over your heavy copper radiators to the first scale you find. While the national baseline currently sits between $2.01 and $3.00, local buyers in New Jersey can offer serious premiums if your material is properly stripped of steel and plastic. Always compare local rates and call ahead to confirm their exact preparation requirements.
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🚀 List your scrap yard ⟶Pure Copper Radiators vs. Other Cooling Scraps
The #1 rule at scrap yards: if you mix grades, they’ll weigh everything at the lowest rate. See the price gap below — if you have higher-value metal, always sort and weigh each grade separately to avoid leaving money on the table.
Historical Price Trends for Pure Copper Radiators
This chart shows where the market is headed. If the line is climbing, prices are rising — you might get a better deal in a few days. If it’s dropping, don’t wait: sell today before yards lower their buy prices further.
Pure Copper Radiators: Scrap Yard Price vs. World Market (COMEX)
Avg scrap yard price
World market price (COMEX)
Pure Copper Radiators: Spread vs. Exchange — Monthly History
| Period | World price (per lb) | Scrap yard price (per lb) | Spread vs. exchange |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2026 (current) | $5.764324 | $3.24 | -$2.53 (43.9%) |
| February 2026 | $5.880136 | $3.29 | -$2.60 (44.1%) |
| January 2026 | $5.894887 | $3.54 | -$2.36 (40%) |
| December 2025 | $5.497742 | $3.20 | -$2.30 (41.8%) |
| November 2025 | $5.064033 | $2.47 | -$2.59 (51.2%) |
| October 2025 | $5.050242 | $2.42 | -$2.63 (52%) |
| September 2025 | $4.662367 | $2.80 | -$1.87 (40%) |
| August 2025 | $4.477984 | $2.57 | -$1.91 (42.6%) |
| July 2025 | $5.482645 | $3.29 | -$2.19 (40%) |
| June 2025 | $4.883233 | $2.93 | -$1.95 (40%) |
| May 2025 | $4.686194 | $2.81 | -$1.87 (40%) |
| April 2025 | $4.654267 | $2.60 | -$2.05 (44.2%) |
| March 2025 | $4.919484 | $2.95 | -$1.97 (40%) |
| February 2025 | $4.558107 | $2.74 | -$1.82 (40%) |
| January 2025 | $4.269774 | $2.41 | -$1.86 (43.5%) |
| December 2024 | $4.157855 | $2.50 | -$1.66 (40%) |
| November 2024 | $4.199383 | $2.52 | -$1.68 (40%) |
| October 2024 | $4.431839 | $2.66 | -$1.77 (40%) |
| September 2024 | $4.292683 | $2.39 | -$1.90 (44.3%) |
| August 2024 | $4.121839 | $2.47 | -$1.65 (40%) |
| July 2024 | $4.375242 | $2.63 | -$1.75 (40%) |
| June 2024 | $4.491083 | $2.59 | -$1.90 (42.3%) |
| May 2024 | $4.75471 | $2.85 | -$1.90 (40%) |
| April 2024 | $4.363717 | $2.62 | -$1.74 (40%) |
| March 2024 | $3.983645 | $2.39 | -$1.59 (40%) |
| February 2024 | $3.801776 | $2.28 | -$1.52 (40%) |
| January 2024 | $3.811306 | $2.29 | -$1.52 (40%) |
| December 2023 | $3.871226 | $2.27 | -$1.60 (41.4%) |
| November 2023 | $3.720817 | $2.20 | -$1.52 (40.9%) |
| October 2023 | $3.609306 | $2.17 | -$1.44 (40%) |
| September 2023 | $3.759833 | $2.20 | -$1.56 (41.5%) |
| August 2023 | $3.776097 | $2.27 | -$1.51 (40%) |
| July 2023 | $3.8455 | $2.31 | -$1.54 (40%) |
| June 2023 | $3.804983 | $2.28 | -$1.52 (40%) |
| May 2023 | $3.751484 | $2.25 | -$1.50 (40%) |
| April 2023 | $4.007367 | $2.40 | -$1.60 (40%) |
| March 2023 | $4.02821 | $2.42 | -$1.61 (40%) |
| February 2023 | $4.06475 | $2.44 | -$1.63 (40%) |
| January 2023 | $4.115113 | $2.47 | -$1.65 (40%) |
| December 2022 | $3.820726 | $2.29 | -$1.53 (40%) |
| November 2022 | $3.674017 | $2.11 | -$1.57 (42.7%) |
| October 2022 | $3.430419 | $2.06 | -$1.37 (40%) |
| September 2022 | $3.455283 | $2.07 | -$1.38 (40%) |
| August 2022 | $3.616468 | $2.05 | -$1.57 (43.3%) |
| July 2022 | $3.4195 | $2.05 | -$1.37 (40%) |
| June 2022 | $4.118667 | $2.47 | -$1.65 (40%) |
| May 2022 | $4.257274 | $2.31 | -$1.94 (45.6%) |
| April 2022 | $4.649533 | $2.79 | -$1.86 (40%) |
| March 2022 | $4.707694 | $2.83 | -$1.88 (40%) |
| February 2022 | $4.502304 | $2.70 | -$1.80 (40%) |
| January 2022 | $4.4345 | $2.66 | -$1.77 (40%) |
| December 2021 | $4.338768 | $2.59 | -$1.75 (40.4%) |
Pure Copper Radiators Scrap Price History — Daily Data
A day-by-day market snapshot in exact numbers. Every day we aggregate buy prices from local scrap yards, recording the average, low, and high. Use this table to track real price movement over recent days.
| Date | Avg price (per lb) | Change | Range (Low/High) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/4/2026 | $3.00 / lb | +$0.05 | $3.00 - $3.00 |
| 2/17/2026 | $2.95 / lb | +$0.37 | $2.95 - $2.95 |
| 12/5/2025 | $2.58 / lb | +$0.04 | $2.58 - $2.58 |
| 11/29/2025 | $2.54 / lb | +$0.04 | $2.54 - $2.54 |
| 11/20/2025 | $2.50 / lb | +$0.21 | $2.50 - $2.50 |
| 11/11/2025 | $2.29 / lb | — no change | $2.29 - $2.29 |
| 11/5/2025 | $2.29 / lb | -$0.05 | $2.29 - $2.29 |
| 10/24/2025 | $2.34 / lb | -$0.02 | $2.34 - $2.34 |
| 10/16/2025 | $2.36 / lb | +$0.12 | $2.36 - $2.36 |
| 10/11/2025 | $2.24 / lb | -$0.10 | $2.24 - $2.24 |
| 10/8/2025 | $2.34 / lb | +$0.12 | $2.34 - $2.34 |
| 8/24/2025 | $2.22 / lb | +$0.12 | $2.22 - $2.22 |
| 4/21/2025 | $2.10 / lb | -$0.17 | $2.10 - $2.10 |
| 1/19/2025 | $2.27 / lb | +$0.02 | $2.27 - $2.27 |
| 1/9/2025 | $2.25 / lb | -$0.02 | $2.25 - $2.25 |
| 9/26/2024 | $2.27 / lb | +$0.07 | $2.27 - $2.27 |
| 9/19/2024 | $2.20 / lb | -$0.11 | $2.20 - $2.20 |
| 6/18/2024 | $2.31 / lb | +$0.21 | $2.31 - $2.31 |
| 12/16/2023 | $2.10 / lb | +$0.03 | $2.10 - $2.10 |
| 11/17/2023 | $2.07 / lb | +$0.07 | $2.07 - $2.07 |
| 9/30/2023 | $2.00 / lb | +$0.20 | $2.00 - $2.00 |
| 11/27/2022 | $1.80 / lb | +$0.10 | $1.80 - $1.80 |
| 8/12/2022 | $1.70 / lb | -$0.37 | $1.70 - $1.70 |
| 5/23/2022 | $2.07 / lb | — no change | $2.07 - $2.07 |
| 5/14/2022 | $2.07 / lb | +$0.02 | $2.07 - $2.07 |
Cashing In on Pure Copper Radiators
When you are hauling Pure Copper Radiators, you are dealing with some of the heaviest and most valuable cooling scrap out there. Found mostly in older vehicles, industrial generators, and vintage heavy machinery, these units yield an excellent return at the scale. Our data shows that scrap yards across the country are currently paying anywhere from $2.01 for dirty or mixed loads, all the way up to $3.00 for perfectly clean, stripped units. Getting that top tier price in New Jersey means knowing exactly what the scale master is looking for.
Don't Let Contaminants Crush Your Payout
The biggest mistake scrappers make with radiators is leaving the junk attached. If you leave steel brackets, plastic fans, or rubber hoses on your pure copper unit, yards will hammer you with a dirty price. Worse, if you get sloppy and toss your clean copper units onto a pile that the yard grades as Irony Aluminum Radiators, you are looking at a brutal downgrade. That simple sorting mistake can cost you roughly $2.16 per pound. Always keep your pure copper units completely separate from aluminum or heavily contaminated scrap.
Yard Pro Tip: Pure copper radiators often hide steel in the side channels or mounting brackets. Take a grinder or a sawzall and cut off the steel side-straps completely. Also, check the tanks at the top and bottom. Older units might look like pure copper but actually have brass tanks. If you leave brass tanks attached, it is graded as a Copper/Brass Radiator, not Pure Copper. Snipping those off and selling them separately maximizes your return on the core.
Prep Guide: Maximize Your Pure Copper Price
Taking a few minutes at your workbench can dramatically bump your payload value. Here is how clean and dirty radiator loads stack up at the yard:
| Preparation Level | Condition | Payout Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Clean Pure Copper | No steel, no plastic, brass tanks removed | Premium pure copper rate |
| Dirty / Irony | Steel shrouds or plastic tanks attached | Heavy deductions or iron grade |
Market Averages and Cooling Scrap Spreads
Like all red metals, Pure Copper Radiator pricing is heavily tied to the COMEX. Most scrap buyers will price these units about 43.4% below the primary spot market, taking into account the melting and refining process. To understand where your load sits, compare it to other cooling units: Aluminum Copper Radiators (ACR) typically range from $1.85 to $2.70/lb, while Aluminum Radiators (Clean) are fetching $0.40 to $0.65/lb, and general Coolers & Condensers are tracking around $0.38 to $0.67/lb. Knowing the spread keeps you from getting shortchanged at the yard.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I tell if my radiator is pure copper?
Use a magnet and a file. A pure copper radiator will not stick to a magnet anywhere. If you scratch the fins and the core, it should show a bright, shiny penny color. If it scratches silvery-white, you have an aluminum unit.
Why did I get a lower price for my copper radiator?
If you were paid less than the clean $2.62 average, it is almost certainly due to attachments. Leaving steel mounting brackets, rubber hoses, fluid inside, or brass tanks on the unit will cause the yard to grade it as dirty or irony.
Are older copper radiators worth more than modern ones?
Yes, significantly. Modern vehicles almost exclusively use aluminum radiators with plastic tanks to save weight and cost. Older vehicles (pre-1990s) and large industrial equipment often used pure copper or copper/brass radiators, which are far heavier and yield a much higher scrap value per unit.